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Personal Projects - My Take

/*Sharkie*/ on June 13, 2019

The Web Development field puts an insane amount of value into personal projects. Yes, insane. I actually see it from both the "Yay personal proje...
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David Clark

This hits close to home for me. I'm at the stage where I'm looking for my first developer job, and today I heard, "You should showcase more side projects." To me, this sounds like a bias against boot camps. Just because I wrote this project while in a boot camp, doesn't mean someone else wrote it for me. :/

I've got a kiddo, a full-time job, networking events, mentor meetings, and research into companies I'm applying to. I have very little time or headspace to think about side projects.

I don't know how else to show a company that I'm worth their time and money either.

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/*Sharkie*/

Projects from bootcamp/college are still projects, and they still show your skills and what you can do! It's mind boggling that people think just because it's not your own personal project, it doesn't count. It 100% counts!

I really wish less companies put so much value in side projects. I get that it shows what you can do, but it's a privledge to have the time to do them and not everyone can.

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David Clark

Truly.

BUT - Something will work out. I'm gaining exposure, I'm chipping away at a side project that I actually want to do, and I've got a mentor. I'm better off than 90% of my peers, I think.